Electric meter.



UNITED "STATES PATENT-- OFFICE.

PAULFIBIG, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR To EMANUEL BEEGMANN,

OF SAME PLAoE.

ELECTRIC METER.

- SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 634,811.,d d O t b 10,1899.-

Applioation filed February 10, 1892. Serial No. 705,174. (No model.)

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Meters; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de-'scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved electric registering apparatus ormeter consisting of a double-working mechanism with balanceleveradjustment in which the stationary current-feed coils act upon two pairsof tensioncoils. mounted on balance or double-armed levers andconstantlyoscillating under the influence of two 'clockworks, as in thecase of horizontal pendulums, with. a small amplitude, the action of thesaid current-feed coils being such as to either attract or repel the twopairs of tension-coils. The diflerence thus obtained in the working ofthe two clock-. works serves as a means for measuring the amountofelectricity used.

The object of the invention is to concentrate the oscillations of thesolenoids upon the magnetic field of the current-feed coils, and therebyto obtaina constant-sensitiveness as well'as an exact proportionality ofthe indications. A I y The invention is shown in the accompany? ingdrawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 represent a constructional form ofthe registering device or meter with spring adjustment or regulation infront elevation-and plan, respectively; Fig. 3, asimi lar view to Fig.1, but in which-the spiral springs are substituted by theelectrodynarnic directing power obtained from a stationary coil; Fig. 4,a front view of a modification in which the springs are substituted bythe power derived from a permanent magnet. Fig. 5 shows the elasticcoupling of both balance beams or levers; Fig. 6, a magnetic coup lingor both balance beams or levers for the purpose of preventingdifferences in the work ing when no current passes through theregistering device, and Fig. 7 shows the method of influencing the'meterby the arrangem'entof a relay for the same purpose.

As is seen from Fig. 1 the vertical arbors 1 and2 of the two clockworksI and II are arranged above one another in axial alinement. The arbor 1is supported on the stephearing 22, while the upper end of the arbor 2is located in the bearing 23. Upon the arbor 1 a horizontal double-armedlever 5, of

comparativel-y light weight, is fixed,.at the ends of which a pair ofsolenoids 6 are arranged which are energized by the working current. Asdirecting'or guiding power I provide the spiral spring 3, which has itsinnor end connected upon the arbor 1, while its outer end is fastenedoutside, and which may also be used for conveying the current to thesolenoid-coils, for which latter purpose, however, according to Fig. 1,separate conductingwires are indicated. The oscillations of thisdouble-armed lever 5 arecommunicated by the anchor 10, mounted on thearbor 1, to the escapement-wheelll, which is mounted on the shaft 12,running in bearings'13' and 16. The movement of the anchor is furthertransmitted to the driving-gear of the clockwork I by means ofthe pinion14, mounted on the shaft 12, .which said pinion" gears with thecrown-wheel l5. i p

The arrangement of the second clockwork II is entirely analogous to thatof the clockwork I. Upon the arbor2 the double-armed lever 7, with thesolenoids 8, further the spiral spring 4,and the anchor 18 are mounted,the latter engaging with the escapement wheel 19. The said escapementwheel is mounted on the shaft 17, the rotary movement of which istransmitted to the clockwork II by means of the pinion 20 and of thecrown-wheel 21.

' The two double-armed levers 5 and 7, with.

their two pairs of solenoidsG and 8, respectively oscillate with arelatively small amplitude-as is, for instance, usual in the Grahamwork-above or below the stationary current-feed coils 9. As is to beseen 5 from the denominations of the poles, the directing power of thesprings is increased'by the attracting power of the current-feed coils 9upon the solenoids 8,' but is weakened by the repelling effect upon the.solenoids 6. Gousequently,according to the strength of the currenttraversing the coils 9 the balance incorrectness resulting fromalterations to which the spiral springs 3 and 4 are subject, a singledouble-wound spiral spring may be employed for both clockworks.

Instead of utilizing the directing power of the elastic springs 3 and 4it is also possible to use the electrodynamic force of a solenoid orelectromagnet 24, Fig. 3, for actuating both balance beams or levers.As, according to the denomination of poles in Fig. 3, one and the sameelectromagnet 24 acts simultaneously upon both clockworks, any change inthe strength of the electromagnet will not affeet the difference betweenthe speeds of both.

clockworks, which said difference alone is used for the measuring. Theother (right) arm of the lever 5 or 7, respectively, may, analogously toFigs. 1 and 2, be influenced by a stationary current-feed coil 9,arranged between the solenoid-coils 6 and 25.

According to Fig. 4: the electromagnet 2a of Fig. 3 is substituted byapermanent magnet 25, the poles of which only influence the outer polesof the two coils 6 and 8 in order to enable the two current-feed coils9-required, for instance, in the three-wire systemto independently act,either retarding or accelerating upon the inner poles of the pairs ofsolenoids 6 and 8, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the arrangement represented the magnetic effects are indicated by thedenominations of poles. Instead of the electromagnet 24, Fig. 3, and ofthe magnet 25, Fig. 4, of a somewhat straightened shape other equivalentarrangements may of course be likewise employed.

If the pairs of solenoid-coils 6 are sufficiently close together andstrong relatively to the pair 8, an electrodynamic influence exerted bythe pair of coils of the one work upon that of the other work ispossible even in the entire absence of current or in the presence of acurrent of however small strength it may be, and this electrodynamicinfluence is applicable for compensating small working differencesbetween the two works, or, in other words, for obtaining the coincidenceof or synchronism of working in the absence of a current, so as to avoidincorrect registering. This coincidence or sychronism of working of thetwo works may be still further enhanced by elastically coupling bothbalance beams or levers by meansof a sufficiently weak coupling-spring26, such as represented in Fig. 5. This spring 26 has its inner endfastened to the arbor I of the clockwork I, while its outer end is fixedto a tappet 28, mounted on arbor 2 of the clockwork II. Instead of usingsuch coupling-spring it is possible to obtain a sufficiently strongdirecting influence or resistance for both balance-levers by arrangingan iron arm 27 on the solenoids 6 and 8, respectively, (see Fig. 6,) thearrangement being such that the arm polarized by the coil 6 reachesclosely up to the corresponding arm of the solenoid 8, oscillating belowand appertaining to the other work to be kept going in coincidence orsynchronism.

In order not to be compelled to have the elastic or magnetic coupling ofthe two balance-levers 5 and 7 chosen too strong and to thereby disturbthe results as regards the charging or load of the registeringmechanism, the electric force of the current-feed coils may be usedindirectly-for instance, by the aid of an auxiliary devicein order thatif a certain initial strength of current be reached the coupling of bothworks, then no longer necessary, may be suppressed. To attain the samepurpose, the arangement may also be such (see Fig. 7) that instead ofboth balancelevers being coupled one of the two works for instance, theupper one-is when working without current incorrectly influenced by theelastic or magnetic action of an auxiliary device. This device consistsof an iron core 30, aranged in one current-feed coil 9 and adapted torotate about the pivot 29. This iron core is already drawn into the coil9. at the initial strength of current; but if no current is present itsspring-actuated point 32 presses against the free extremity of thespiral spring 31, mounted on the balance-lever 5, and thereby slightlyaccelerates the oscillations of said balance-lever 5. By thisarrangement I prevent clockwork II from going faster than clockwork Iwhen no current passes through the apparatus, since the speed ofclockwork I is by the action of spring 3l'increased beyond that ofclockwork II. The registering device obviously may be constructed toregister only when the speed of clockwork II exceeds that of clockworkI, so that with the arrangement above described there is no danger ofany registration being made while no current passes through theapparatus.

The shapes of coils and their arrangements represented in the drawingsmay of course also be substituted by other forms, for instance in such amanner that the current-feed coils are not surrounded above and below bythe tension-coils, but so that the latter are adapted to oscillate tothe right and left or even only upon one side opposite the stationarycoils.

Owing to the use of a clockwork operating with a small amplitudeas, forinstance, in the case of the Graham or similar escapement-for obtainingsmall oscillations of the balance-lever, the solenoids are always keptwithin the magnetic field of the current-feed coils, so that thesensitiveness or, in other words, the constant of the registeringmechanism is always retained unchanged.

It is especially the double-sided arrangement of the coils whichconstitutes an advantage for such registering mechanism working with twoclockworks.

5 By altering the axial position of the stationary current-feed coilsrelatively to the tension-coils, oscillating above and below, or, inother words, by slightly displacing the former in upward or downwarddirection, the pro- I0 portionality of the indications of theregistering mechanism can be regulated in a peculiar manner, so that inboth clockworks simultaneously the relative influences are altered, thesumof which-represents the measure of the amount of electricity use'drHaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare thatwhat I claim is-- 2o 1. An electricity-meter including a stationary coilor coils, oscillating levers carrying coils arranged to swing inthemagnetic field of said stationary coil or coils, a directing orresistance mechanism tending to return said levers to a predeterminedposition, and a separate clockwork connected with each of said levers.

2. An electricity-meter including a stationary coil or coils,oscillating levers carrying coils arranged to swing in the magneticfield of said stationary coil or coils, a directing or resistancemechanism tending to return said levers to a predetermined position, ananchor mounted to swing with each of said levers, and separateclockworks each having an escapement-wheel controlled by one of the saidanchors. I

3. An electricitymeter including a station ary coil or coils,oscillating levers carrying coils arranged to swing in themagnetic fieldo of said stationary coil or coils, a directing or resistance mechanismtending to return said levers to a predetermined position, saidmechanism consisting of a torsion-spring connecting the two levers, anda separate clockwork connected with each of the levers.

Witnesses: V

ERWIN L. GOLDSCHMIDT, CHAS. H. DAY.

